Creating Currents Together Conference in Manilla
Norway and the Philippines have a long history of collaboration on maritime and energy issues. When the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl docked in Manila in October 2022, this conference aimed at celebrating this successful partnership – and to strengthen it even further through a two-day event called Norway – Philippines Maritime & Energy Conference – Creating Currents Together.
Under the Maritime Day of the conference, Maritime Bergen shared updates and reflections on Maritime Bergen’s leg of the One Ocean Expedition together with professor Dr. Olav Kjellevold Olsen and Captain Jens Joachim. A significant number of Maritime Bergen members also shared insights from their companies on stage, many of which still recovering from their sea legs after participating in the expedition.
The conference opened with welcome remarks from H.E. Geir Michalsen, Chargé d’affaires a.i., Royal Norwegian Embassy, Manila, H.E. Enrico T. Fos, Ambassador, Embassy of the Philippines, Oslo and Carl Martin Faannessen, President, Philippines Norway Business Council where after. Synnøve Seglem, President of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and Deputy Managing Director of Knutsen OAS opened the maritime day.
The conference opened with an introductory section on the overall trends and expectations of the maritime industry before diving deeper into sustainable solutions for decarbonisation in the maritime industry, initiatives which contribute to changing the future of shipping, the human success factor and theneed for attracting and retaining talent as well as increased digitalisation. Where many are optimistic regarding the efforts for decarbonisation, it is clear that cooperation, scale of technology and infrastructure is essential.
Among many notable contributions, a large number of the speakers participated in the One Ocean Expedition and/ or are a member of Maritime Bergen:
One Ocean Expedition Participants:
- Nils Magne Fjereide, Chief Executive Officer, Misje Rederi
- Christopher Heidenreich, Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Wind Solutions
- Capt. Jens Joachim Hiorth, Master Mariner, Statsraad Lehmkuhl
- Alexander Larsson, Technical Manager, Sumisho Corvus Energy
- Kunal Pathak, Loss Prevention Manager, Gard
- Siri-Anne Mjåtvedt, Chief Executive Officer Utkilen
- Even Storheim, Project Manager, Maritime Bergen
- Dr. Olav Kjellvold Olsen, Professor in Leadership & Organization, University of Bergen
Maritime Bergen Members:
- Elisabeth Grieg, Co-owner at Grieg Group, Chair at the Grieg Maturitas board
- Morten Hasås, SVP Maritime Simulation, Kongsberg Digital
- Erik Hjortland, VP Technology, Odfjell SE
- Gry Larsen, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs, Grieg Group
- Casper Meland, Chief Executive Officer, Marine Benefits AS
- Cristina Saenz De Santa Maria, VP & Regional Manager, South East Asia, Pacific & India, DNV Maritime
- Synnøve Seglem, President, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association & Deputy Managing Director, Knutsen OAS
- Harald Solberg, Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association
Photos courtesy of Creating Currents Together
